August 30, 2018

Okinawa-elected House of Representatives member Tamaki Denny on August 29 at a press conference in Okinawa’s capital city of Naha announced his candidacy as an anti-base “All Okinawa” candidate for the coming gubernatorial election slated for September 30.

The gubernatorial election, initially scheduled for November, was moved up to September following the death of incumbent Governor Onaga Takeshi. The election will see a one-on-one battle between Tamaki and a pro-base candidate endorsed by the ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei coalition and its supplementary force Nippon Ishin no Kai party.

At the press conference, Tamaki quoted Onaga when he said that when Okinawans are banded together, they will exert a force stronger than expected. Tamaki said, “Encouraged by this remark, I decided to run in the gubernatorial race.”

Showing his stance to fully support Onaga’s decision to repeal the Henoko reclamation approval, Tamaki expressed his determination to block the construction of a new U.S. base, the same goal sought by Onaga.

Tamaki pointed out that although the Abe government promised to put a stop to the operations of the U.S. Futenma base by February 2019, it has yet to take any effective actions to achieve this. He said that if he is elected governor, he will urge the state government to work to realize a swift closure and return of the Futenma base.

Along with Tamaki, pro-Onaga forces also attended the press conference. They were Vice Governor Jahana Kiichiro, Naha Mayor Shiroma Mikiko, Kanehide Holdings chairman Goya Morimasa, “All Okinawa” lawmakers at the national and prefectural levels, and representatives from a wide range of peace and civil groups.

Past related articles:
> We will never extinguish anti-base 'All Okinawa' flame: Okinawans on the death of Gov. Onaga [August 10, 2018]
> Procedure to retract Henoko landfill approval begins [July 28, 2018]